THE SERMON THAT CHANGED THE WORLD A STUDY THROUGH MATTHEW 5-7

Transcription

1 THE SERMON THAT CHANGED THE WORLD A STUDY THROUGH MATTHEW 5-7

2 Have you noticed the number of voices speaking into your life lately? Everywhere you go and everywhere you look, there s someone or something intent on sending you a message. Beyond that, these messages are meant to persuade you to think, believe, and act a certain way. Buy this! Boycott that! Cheer for this! Boo for that! Share this! Block that! Love this! Hate that! Whether we realize it or not, our world is constantly preaching a steady stream of sermons intended to shape us. The trouble is, our world is fallen and flawed. Try as it might, its moral compass is broken and doesn t reliably point to the truth... God s truth. With the world as our guide, we re bound to live in error and confusion. But what if there was a message that did just the opposite, a sermon that pointed us in the right direction every time? A sermon that showed us how to experience the kingdom of God here on earth? The Sermon on the Mount is exactly that, which is why we will be spending the next several weeks studying and applying it to our lives. Though shared by Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago, there couldn t be a more timely message. It cuts to the core of our most pressing problems, answers our deepest questions, and gives us God s perspective on life itself. Its influence over the centuries is second to none, transforming communities, countries, and even civilization itself. Quite literally, it is the sermon that changed the world... and continues to do so. Over the next 11 weeks, I invite you to experience its transforming power in your own life! Doug Sauder Lead Pastor

3 THE BEATITUDES

4 the Beatitudes are part of the Sermon on the Mount, arguably the most famous teaching ever shared. This provocative and counter-cultural message was an invitation from Jesus to live for the kingdom of God and experience the kingdom of God here on earth. Many of the statements found within the Sermon on the Mount can be found throughout the other Gospels as individual sayings. This can be seen as clear evidence that Jesus taught similar things on multiple occasions after all, it s been said that the mark of a good teacher is repetition. The site of the Sermon on the Mount is not specifically identified in the Gospels. And while there is no definitive evidence for any one location, a great deal of scholars place the location in Karn Hattin near the region of Capernaum and the other fishing villages on the shore. The circumstances here were that Jesus was being followed by a multitude (Matthew 5:1; Luke 6:17) who wanted to see Him perform miracles. He went up the mountainside a little way so those closest to Him would be nearer than the rest, and then He came down a little with them to a level place (Luke 6:17) still on the mountain. He then proceeded to sit down and teach, with special attention to the disciples who were nearby. The word beatitude is not actually found in the English Bible. It is defined as 1) the joy of heaven, and 2) a declaration of blessedness, especially when it comes from Christ. Beatitudes actually occur with frequency in the Old Testament (Psalm 32:1 2, 41:4, 65:4), and the Gospels contain isolated beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 11:6, 13:16, 16:17, 24:26; John 13:17, 20:29). But the word is most commonly used when identifying the first 12 verses of Matthew 5 as well as the version recorded in Luke 6:20 22.

5 Poor (pochoi): Poor, destitute, spiritually poor, either in a good sense (humble devout persons) or bad; to crouch or cower like a beggar; bent over (literally); deeply destitute (figuratively), completely lacking resources (earthly wealth) i.e. helpless as a beggar relates to the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich. A recent article suggested that poor people from impoverished countries view their lives as more meaningful. According to the authors, poor people from poor countries find fulfillment through life-enriching religious tradition over immediate gratification. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 5:3 (NIV), Jesus tells us, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The NLT reads this way: God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him... Here in this verse, Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter: True richness and purpose in life come from knowing Christ. Mourn (penthountes): To mourn, lament; to grieve over a death; (figuratively) to grieve over a personal hope (relationship) that dies, i.e. comes to divine closure ( ends ); refers to manifested grief so severe it takes possession of a person and cannot be hidden. Merriam Webster has defined mourning as a period of time during which signs of grief are shown. This period of sorrow is most often associated with the loss of a loved one or some sort of catastrophic tragedy. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, God blesses those who mourn. Theologian John Gill explained it this way: Blessed are they that mourn for sin, for their own sins; the sin of their nature... which is always working in them, and is a continual grief of mind to them. This is something Paul eloquently expresses in Romans 7 as he mourns over the sinful nature within him the unspiritual man who knows the good he s supposed to do, but instead does the evil he hates.

6 Meek (praeis): Mild, gentle. The balance of gentleness and strength. This difficult-to-translate root (pra-) means more than meek. Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God s strength under His control i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. While some attach a negative connotation to the term meek, almost implying weakness... rest assured that biblical meekness is the opposite of weakness. Instead, meekness is embracing the strength of the Lord under His control. It s understanding and valuing power because you know that true power only comes from God. And because you have this understanding, you cling to compassion rather than the anger. It s acting and reacting as Christ did, without unnecessary harshness; with kindness, sincerity, and love. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Meekness also speaks of endurance, of being hurt but having the restraint to not seek vengeance. Why? Because you know that God will vindicate you in the end. Theologian Joseph Barnes emphasized that, Meekness... is neither meanness nor a surrender of our rights, nor cowardice; but it is the opposite of sudden anger, of malice, of long-harbored vengeance. Hunger (peinontes): Hungry, needy; to desire earnestly; to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire. Thirst (dipsontes): To suffer from thirst. To desire earnestly; to painfully feel want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened. We all experience hunger and thirst. These feelings are the body s way of telling us we are in need of sustenance. If we don t listen when we get hungry or thirsty, our bodies can begin to work improperly, shut down, and eventually die. In the same way our bodies crave food and drink in order to be satisfied and working properly, our souls have a craving as well. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Sadly, though, we often seek to satisfy the soul s hunger and thirst with selfish things, with our desires and wants. We seek after health, wealth, power, and praise to fill us, but eventually we come to realize that not a single one of these things can truly satisfy us. So, what does the soul need? It needs the only thing in existence that truly satisfies: Jesus! And so, when we boil down His statement to its core, we see that satisfaction and fullness only come when we eagerly, earnestly, and ardently crave to live in the presence of our Savior. When we actively seek communion with Him daily; when we seek first His kingdom and righteousness; when we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; then we will know true satisfaction!

7 Merciful (eleemones): Full of pity, compassion; acting consistently with the revelation of God s covenant. To show mercy as God defines it as it accords with His truth, which expresses God s covenant, loyalty, and mercy. Don t expect to get if you re not willing to give... This is a pretty safe assumption for most things in life. As Christians; however, this idea takes on a whole new, deeply profound meaning as it pertains to compassion and mercy. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. The thought being put forth here by Jesus is the same principle being embodied in the Lord s Prayer regarding forgiveness. Those who are merciful and compassionate towards others are the objects of divine mercy. The reverse of this truth is presented in James 2:13 (NIV) as the apostle writes, Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. So, is our motive for being merciful so we could receive mercy ourselves? No! That s the beautiful thing about a relationship with Jesus... We show mercy as a response to the compassion, mercy, and grace we are shown by Christ! We need mercy and have found it, thus we respond to the mercy of Christ in our lives by pouring it into the lives of others. Pure in heart (katharoi te kardia): Clean, pure, unstained, either literally, ceremonially, or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright. Properly, without admixture ; what is separated (purged), unmixed spiritually clean because one has been purged (purified by God), free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin. Similar to the poor in spirit beatitude, here the noun determines the region in which purity is to be found: the heart! Here, the word heart represents our desires and affections, just as the spirit represents our will and higher personality. The purity described by Jesus is in stark contrast to the ideal form of purity in first century Israel... the purity of the Pharisees. Their purity was an outward and ceremonial thing, limited to the absence of one special form of sensual sin. However, it excluded every other impurity the impurity of hate, greed, or even lust. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Instead, Jesus is telling us that those whose hearts are purified by faith, who have been cleansed by the Spirit of God, who allow Him to cleanse their thoughts, desires, speech, and works, will not only see God in His glory on the throne one day, but also see Him more clearly than others in all God reveals Himself through in the beauty of nature, in His sovereignty and work within us, others, and the world, in His written Word, in the life and teaching of Christ, and in His personal revelation. What a beautiful thing to be able to see the Lord in His works both here and forever!

8 Peacemakers (eirenopoioi): Pacific, loving peace; a peacemaker, one who bravely declares the Word of God and the harmony of God, which makes someone whole. A more accurate description of this characteristic may be lover of peace. What Jesus is calling us to here is much more than simply being someone who seeks to cultivate peace between people. Instead, it s being someone who is peaceable, peaceful, and gentle. This person is friendly, considerate, sincere, and full of mercy (James 3:17); they embody peace and goodwill and bring it out of people as they are soothed by his or her presence. He or she is also adept at being quiet, at truly listening to others and diffusing strife and discord. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. This beatitude so rightly follows after the pure in heart, as it is the absence of impurity in our heart that allows the Lord to manifest the power to make peace within ourselves and others. It should be no surprise that an impure heart cannot experience peace and inner harmony, let alone promote it successfully in others. Jesus calls the peacemakers sons of God. You see, when Christ came to earth, His mission was one of peace! He came to make a way for us to have peace with God by tearing down sin and death and allowing us to experience the peace of God and to live in harmony and unity with God. Jesus is the highest founder of peace, the ultimate peacemaking ambassador. And we who share in the work of Christ also share in the sonship, in receiving the inheritance that comes with being given adoption as heirs (Galatians 4). Those who are persecuted (dediogmenoi): To be aggressively chased, like a hunter pursuing a catch (prize); to be zealously persecuted, hunted down; pursued with all haste, earnestly desiring to overtake (apprehend); to harass, trouble, molest one. As we ve seen with most of these beatitudes, there is a profound significance in the order Jesus delivered them. You see, the work of the peacemaker is not light and easy work. Often, when we work for peace, there is usually someone looking to wage war (Psalm 120:7). Here, Jesus is speaking about one who is persecuted, not for an opinion or for some manner of societal discrimination or cultural difference, but for living righteously, for embodying the previous seven statements made by Jesus. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord is reassuring those who will suffer for His name that they will receive their reward when they enter eternity. It s indicative that the last promise is the same as the first. We end as we began... with the kingdom of heaven.

9 When people insult you (oneidisosin): To be reproached, reviled, upbraided; to be disgraced, mocked (cursed), shamed; to be viewed as deserving punishment this can be based on fact (Matthew 11:20) or incorrect assumptions (Matthew 5:11). If you notice, this verse is the first time a beatitude is spoken directly to the listening disciples, and not just as a general law instead of saying, Blessed are, Jesus says, Blessed are you. This was done in preparation for what Jesus knew was to come, as early Christ-followers would all experience persecution in the first few centuries of the movement. The passage actually contains three forms of persecution and suffering: 1) the vague contempt (insults and mocking), 2) persecution (cultural and physical), and 3) deliberate defaming and slanderous lies about the Christ-follower. For believers in the first two centuries, this included being accused of incest and cannibalism (Thyesteian banquets) misinformed and completely off-base accusations that were spread throughout the Roman Empire. Our Lord is basically guaranteeing that we all particularly the listening audience of disciples will endure persecution, just as Jeremiah, Elijah, Daniel, Amos, Micah, and the other prophets did. But Jesus offers a massive, beautiful expectation and hope to this guarantee of persecution: our great reward in heaven. KEY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:11-12 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. As Matthew Poole wrote, Not of debt, but of grace; for our light and momentary afflictions are not worthy to be compared with an eternal and exceeding weight of glory; where there is no proportion, there can be no merit: especially, when it is given to us on the behalf of Christ to suffer. The glory and the magnificence of spending eternity in the presence of God Almighty, in His kingdom, adopted as His son or daughter far outweighs anything this world can hurl against us!

10 Session

11 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. How does this teaching of Jesus invite you to think differently about the world we live in? What keeps you from being meek and poor in spirit? What difference would it make in your relationships if you were to reflect true meekness? How can you build these character qualities into your life this week? Pray and ask God for His help!

12 Session

13 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? What should that look like in someone s life? How has God shown His mercy to you, and what impact does it have on your life? What is a practical step that you could take this week that would deepen your desire for righteousness?

14 Session

15 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What are the challenges and promises found in this passage? What do you believe are the most important keys to making peace? What can you do this week to bring peace to a broken relationship? Pray and ask God for His guidance and wisdom as you seek to be a peacemaker.

16 Session

17 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. Why is this teaching so critical for every Christ-follower to understand? What are some practical ways you can be salt and light in your daily routines? What is one thing you could do this week to shine the light of Jesus in your neighborhood or workplace?

18 Session

19 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What are the warnings Jesus offers and why does He give them? What do these verses teach you about broken relationships? Is there anyone in your life that you need to reconcile with? What might be your first step towards forgiveness?

20 Session

21 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. As we learn from Jesus teachings, why should we be careful about making commitments and promises? How do these verses challenge you to think differently about the way you re living right now? Based on this teaching, what changes will you make this week?

22 Session

23 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. How are Jesus teachings countercultural? What makes His message so very different from the messages we receive from the rest of the world? What seems to get in the way of you following Jesus command in this area of Scripture? What steps is the Holy Spirit prompting you to take in response to loving your enemies? How will you do this?

24 Session

25 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What are the key principles that Jesus teaches us about prayer? What are some of the rewards and challenges you find in your own prayer life? As you pray this week, how will you put into practice what you ve learned from this teaching?

26 Session

27 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What points did Jesus present here that would have probably caused a positive reaction? How about a negative one? How does this passage of Scripture challenge you to rethink your life goals and your attitude toward the things you own? What steps will you take this week to honor Jesus command to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first?

28 Session

29 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What does this passage reveal to you about your relationship with God and your relationships with others? What are some challenges you ve experienced in traveling the narrow way and how has God helped you through them? What changes is God calling you to make based on these teachings of Jesus, and what steps will you take this week to move in the right direction?

30 Session

31 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION or group discussion As you follow along with us, on your own, with your family, or in your community group, here are a few questions to go over as you seek to apply this week s message to your life. What are the similarities and differences between the two builders referenced in this teaching? What kinds of storms are you facing right now, and what does your response to each storm reveal about your faith? How can you begin to build your life more firmly on the truths in God s Word, and what changes do you need to make in order to have Christ be your foundation?

32 CalvaryFTL.org/Matthew #MatthewSeriesCC